LHS Traffic Change

THE CAMPUS TRAFFIC SYSTEM IS CHANGING AT LEANDER HIGHSCHOOL

Beginning April 15, 2019, Leander High School will operate a new traffic system designed to alleviate congestion at the building main entrance during peak traffic times and improve safety for drivers leaving campus in a northbound direction. School personnel will be located around the new areas to help drivers navigate to our drop areas. Please note that new signage and pavement markings will begin to be installed prior to April 15, 2019, however the changes will go into effect on April 15,2019.

WHAT ISCHANGING?

Buses

Starting on Monday, April 15, 2019, all buses currently loading on the north side of the main building will be moved to the front of the school and utilize the existing vehicle loading zone immediately in front of the building main entrance. Our buses will be entering and departing, both north and southbound from thisentrance.

Car Rider LoadingZones

(Drop Areas) serving students who arrive and depart the LHS campus by car willmove to one of the following threeareas:

Car Rider Drop 1 is located in the Home Side Parking Lot (PA-6) of Bible Stadium. Enter and Exit from/to either Kettering Rd. or the LHS West Rd connecting to LakelineBlvd.

Car Rider Drop 2 is located at the rear of the main building in Student Parking Area 7 immediately adjacent to the Wrestling Building. Enter and Exit from/to either Kettering Rd. or the LHS West Rd connecting to LakelineBlvd.

Car Rider Drop 3 is located on the north side of the main building at the former bus loading area. Enter from either Kettering Rd. or the LHS West Rd. connecting to Lakeline Blvd. Drop 3 exit is restricted to Bagdad Rd via the LHS North Rd. Left turns onto Bagdad Rd from this intersection are strongly discouraged during peak school traffictimes.

Parking

Parking is not affected by these changes. Students entering the front parking lot will share the entrance with buses. No car riders will be allowed in the student parking area or the bus loop area for drop off. In the afternoon from dismissal until 4:15, students, from the front parking lot, will exit through the north exit of the student parking lot. This will allow our buses to clear and begin their afternoonroutes.

A campus map detailing the location of the new Car Rider Loading Zones/Drop Areas is included forreference.

WHY IS THIS CHANGENECESSARY?

Improvement to safety of parents and students is the main reason for this change.

Leander High School has operated three designated car rider loading areas for the past several school years. Traffic observations conducted the past two school years indicate most of all cars arriving to drop off or pick up students do so using only one of the three drop off area – Drop 1 located at the campus main entrance. The other two car rider loading areas have been underutilized. Additionally, due to the volume of traffic on campus and along Bagdad Rd during peak traffic hours, cars departing the building main entrance with a left turn northbound onto Bagdad Rd have a very difficult, unprotected left turn resulting in many near collisions. The campus has received numerous complaints about congestion and safety turn into and out of campus from the main entrance driveway at BagdadRd.

Because of the imbalance in car rider loading zones, the existing car rider area at the building main entrance has continually been overwhelmed with more cars than the area is designed to serve. For this reason, the loading zone area at the building main entrance will now serve Leander ISD busesexclusively.

HOW WILL THIS NEW SYSTEM HELP WITH TRAFFIC CONGESTION ATLHS?

New car rider loading zones will be established around the south, west, and north perimeter of the main building. They can be accessed from either of two main roadways entering the LHS campus – Kettering Rd (from Bagdad Rd) or the LHS West Road (from LakelineBlvd).

When entering from Bagdad Rd, drivers will have the option of using the home side of Bible Stadium to drop off and pick up students. This area is readily visible from the campus road. If Drop 1 is too congested, drivers are encouraged to continue to Drop 2 located near the Wrestling Building. If Drop 2 is also congested, drivers are encouraged to continue to Drop3.

HOW WILL THIS IMPROVE SAFETY FOR DRIVERS EXITING THE LHSCAMPUS NORTHBOUND?

Drivers who wish to exit the campus in a northbound direction are encouraged to use the existing traffic signal at Kettering and Bagdad for a protected left turn, or exit campus via the LHS West Rd for a right turn onto Lakeline Blvd. In locating all car rider drop-off areas to the campus loop road, drivers have easier access to protected turns onto Bagdad Rd and more convenient access to LakelineBlvd.